


to be your home too

by tokumei108



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: M/M, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), minor appearance by other blue lions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:41:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29114700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tokumei108/pseuds/tokumei108
Summary: The more times Dedue stops by Ashe’s inn to teach him Duscur cooking, the more Ashe wants Dedue to keep coming for more than just food, but...
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	to be your home too

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PeppyBismilk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppyBismilk/gifts).



Ashe was in the middle of sweeping the front doorstep when he sensed someone approaching. Setting the broom aside, his heart skipped a beat when he saw who it was.

“I was hoping you would stop by, Dedue,” Ashe said with a big smile.

Dedue blinked before returning Ashe’s smile. “You were waiting for me?”

Ashe chuckled. “Well, I didn’t keep this place a secret, and His Majesty said he would support me.”

Two months ago, when His Majesty Dimitri had offered Ashe a knighthood, Ashe had declined, citing his concern over the prejudice still experienced by Dedue and the people of Duscur. When Ashe told him that instead he wished to open an inn serving Duscur cuisine, Dimitri had been 100% supportive. While Dimitri may have said that the position of knight would always be open to Ashe, two months into his venture, Ashe wasn’t sure he wanted to take up his bow ever again, not when he could bring peace and smiles through cooking. And considering how well his inn was doing lately, soon Ashe could pay back the loan that Dimitri had granted him to purchase and repair the building.

To Ashe’s surprise, Dedue frowned. “I am not here on His Majesty’s orders.”

“Oh?” Ashe smiled. That meant Dedue came because he still thought of Ashe as a good friend. Ashe knew that just because they had been close during the academy days didn’t mean they would stay close; after all, Dedue was extremely loyal to Dimitri and no matter how many hours they had spent cooking together, training together, growing plants together, fighting together, Ashe would always be an afterthought, right?

An awkward moment of silence passed. Maybe Ashe should ask why Dedue visited? But before he could ask, Dedue cleared his throat. “Would you be able to cook something for me?” Catching sight of Ashe’s frown, Dedue added, “Leftovers are fine.”

“Sure thing!” Ashe gestured for Dedue to step inside and take a seat at one of the free tables. “It’ll have to be leftovers because I wasn’t planning to start evening cooking for another two hours.”

“That is fine.”

A moment later Ashe was serving Dedue a bowl of warm leftover fish and vegetable stew. The way Dedue smiled even before the bowl was set out in front of him made Ashe happy. The smile only widened after Dedue finished the food.

“I am really happy to eat Duscur food made by you.”

Ashe blushed. His cooking was still not as good as Dedue’s, but they had long moved past the praise for the sake of encouragement. If Dedue was smiling, then it must be suitable to his palate as well. “I’m flattered. Unfortunately this is one of two Duscur dishes I can cook confidently so—”

“Let me teach you more.”

Ashe blinked. “I won’t say no but...” Would that be okay? Wasn’t Dedue too busy with his duties as Dimitri’s righthand man?

“This is a personal request, Ashe.”

Ashe felt his heart clench at all the other words he knew Dedue was saying with one simple sentence, with the heavy way the words came out of Dedue’s mouth.

“Okay.”

This would be more of a gift to Ashe than a benefit to Dedue, but even so, Ashe knew to respect Dedue’s feelings. It didn’t mean that Ashe couldn’t get giddy with excitement, but he waited until Dedue was well out of sight before letting out a yell and resuming his inn cleaning with renewed energy. To learn more of Duscur cuisine and to spend more time with Dedue…could Ashe ask for anything better?

*****

“That is rather interesting.”

Dedue had arrived a little later than usual, but Ashe couldn’t wait for his arrival to begin cooking. After all, he had at least 30 patrons every night to feed. Having his younger siblings help relieved some of the pressure, but he always had to get started on evening meal preparations by 4 o’clock in the afternoon, which meant any test cooking had to start by 2:30. Which meant Ashe had to make an executive decision to try making this spicy grilled fish dish without Dedue’s advice, and…

“I’m sorry. I should have been more careful when substituting.”

After 6 months of bi-weekly which morphed lately into daily lessons from Dedue in the art of Duscur cuisine, Ashe knew which ingredients could not be substituted at all and which ones could sometimes be substituted. Especially since some of the spices were in rather limited quantities and hard to procure. Of course if Ashe had a choice he wouldn’t make substitutions at all but…

“I like it.”

Ashe nearly dropped the fork he was holding in surprise. “What?”

Dedue scooped another chunk of the fish into his mouth. “It is very you.”

Was Dedue saying that he liked it because Ashe made it? “But…”

“You are worrying about ruining tradition. However, not every Duscur family cooks this dish the same exact way. We make do with what ingredients we have on hand.”

“Oh.” Ashe should have realized that already, with the way Dedue talked about his people in bits and pieces while they cooked together. Duscur culture certainly seemed more harmonious and less wasteful than Fódlan culture, well at least from Ashe’s point of view. “Yes, I suppose that makes sense.”

“You are just like another Duscur family.” Dedue chuckled. “In a way.”

A family…like a home? “Dedue…” If Ashe could be a place like that for Dedue…

Dedue, though, had no time to elaborate further. “Well, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Ashe nodded, unable to speak because he was smiling too much from the warmth that bloomed inside his chest. It lasted well after Dedue’s plate was clear, all the way through the night. Even his siblings were weirded out by how much he was smiling, but Ashe couldn’t help it.

“Like another Duscur family…” Ashe murmured to himself when he was alone that night.

Ashe found it hard hard to fall asleep that night, going over Dedue’s words again and again because… They made Ashe the happiest he had felt in a very, very long time…

******

Ashe sighed as he looked at the large delivery at his doorstep. As his inn had grown in popularity, it had become more of a restaurant than a place to stay, serving food to more and more people each day. If it meant more people were coming to understand that the people of Duscur were not monsters but rather fellow humans with the same feelings as any other person, then Ashe would gladly cook for another 100 people each day. Right now, though, it was nice having his siblings and two maids as helpers, but when it came to the supplies and the management, Ashe couldn’t let go of the task to anyone else, not yet. Which meant this pile of food needed to be sorted and inventoried and…

“Ashe?”

Ashe looked up in surprise, for Dedue usually didn’t visit in the morning hours. However Ashe wasn’t going to question this lucky happening.

“Perfect timing!” Ashe greeted with a smile. “Dedue, if you could help me carry—"

“I will do whatever you ask of me.”

Ashe faltered. He hadn’t misheard, but the tone was so soft and it made Ashe feel… But Dedue was looking at him curiously, so Ashe hurried to respond. “O-okay!”

He pointed at some boxes and when Dedue looked away, Ashe took a deep breath. The surge of affection at hearing those words quelled for a moment, but as he watched Dedue lift the boxes easily, as if they were as weightless as feathers, Ashe’s thoughts wandered dangerously. What if this was how easy it could be, Dedue and him managing this inn together, taking care of these tasks, cooking together, living together… Ashe shook his head. This was not the right time for daydreaming, not with all this food that needed to be put away so he could start on preparing lunch. Today was going to be another busy day, after all.

But what if…

******

“I have a confession.”

This was probably not the best time to bring it up, but a few weeks had passed since Dedue had made his unexpected morning visit, and Ashe was still stuck on the vision of Dedue being here, helping Ashe run the inn, like it was his place too. And Ashe realized that he would give Dedue this place among many other things…like his heart.

“What is the matter?” Dedue put down his spoon instead of scooping another taste of the latest soup he and Ashe had just cooked together. His attention was 100% on Ashe and Ashe felt himself shiver.

“Lately I… No, for a long time I…”

Ashe trailed off, looking down at his hands. How could he express his feelings without making Dedue feel bad? He had no idea how Dedue felt about him…well he knew Dedue liked him well enough to keep visiting, but that was just friendship. If it was something more… Ashe just wanted to let Dedue know how happy he made Ashe, and if Ashe accidentally slipped into loving him a bit too much, well...

“You do not have to say anything more.”

Dedue’s voice was so gentle and soothing, but this was the one time Ashe didn’t want that from Dedue. He wanted, he needed to express him feelings to Dedue! “But—"

“I will always put His Majesty first,” Dedue interrupted. “I owe a debt to him that cannot be paid in this lifetime.”

“Dedue…”

“Nothing has to change.”

Dedue didn’t need to say the words, but Ashe heard another set of words, begging him not to ask for anything more. Maybe Dedue knew what Ashe’s feelings were and didn’t want to hear them. Maybe as a courtesy Dedue thought there was no point in blatantly rejecting Ashe’s feelings when it was about not being receptive to romantic feelings in the first place, from anyone, and not specifically against Ashe.

“Okay…”

Ashe turned away. He heard Dedue shuffle but he refused to turn around. He heard Dedue sigh and then heard footsteps that got quieter until silence returned. Ashe finally let out his own sigh.

“I just…” Ashe felt a prickle of tears in his eyes. “I just want you to think of this place…as yours too.”

He put away the soup which he would share with his siblings later, after the evening meal rush. “Even if you don’t feel the same way as me…”

Ashe rubbed his eyes. Okay, well there was nothing to dwell on now. It was time to roll up his sleeves and get the inn ready for customers. He put on his best smile and got to work.

And even when the day was over, when Ashe was alone in his room again… He didn’t cry. There wasn’t anything to be really sad about. It was fine…everything was fine…

******

Two weeks had passed since Ashe’s attempt at confessing, and Ashe tried his best not to take Dedue’s rejection too hard. Dedue still visited, right? So they were still friends at least, even if Ashe would always dream of them being more. But there was no point in wondering what that would be like. A daydream here or there was maybe okay, but Dedue made it clear that he wanted their relationship to just stay as friends, and Ashe would do his best to respect that.

“Hello, Ashe.”

Ashe, who had been calculating and budgeting for the next month, looked up from his papers in surprise. “Oh! I didn’t expect to see you, Dedue.”

Dedue frowned. “You did not expect?”

Ashe laughed. “His Majesty is out of town, right? So I figured—”

“He and Ingrid are visiting Felix and Sylvain.”

“That—”

“He told me it was okay if I wanted to stay here instead.”

A moment of silence passed as Ashe absorbed Dedue’s words. So, Dedue was not staying by His Majesty Dimitri’s side for once, and it was due to Felix? “But I thought you and Felix had mended…”

“It is not because of bad relations,” Dedue clarified. “It is because they are so close with His Majesty and I do not want to be in the way. Furthermore…”

“Felix would be offended if you were required for His Majesty’s protection?” Ashe could already picture the scowl on the dark blue-haired man’s face and the barbed words he would throw, regardless of Dimitri’s title and position compared to his own.

Dedue smiled. “Exactly.”

Ashe was about to ask Dedue if he could wait a moment until Ashe finished his paperwork, but before Ashe could speak, Dedue reached out and touched Ashe’s arm. Ashe yelped in surprise. What was…? Dedue pulled away quickly and Ashe regretted his own reaction immediately. It was just…Dedue wasn’t the type to touch people so…

“I also need to apologize for before.” Dedue’s smile was gone. “Will you have time this evening?”

“I…yes?” What did Dedue need to apologize for? Touching his arm earlier?

“I can help with the evening meal rush,” he offered.

Well, that made the decision 1000 times easier. Even if Ashe would have found time for Dedue, he wasn’t going to pass up on the opportunity for free help. And with His Majesty gone, it wasn’t Ashe had to feel guilty about stealing Dedue away from his more important task. “Thanks!”

“I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah.”

Ashe didn’t know exactly what would happen tonight, but having extra time to spend with Dedue… Maybe they could shake off a little of this awkwardness ever since Ashe’s failed confession and make new memories that Ashe could think about instead of…instead of that…

******

8 hours later, with the sun already set and only the stars and moonlight to guide them, Ashe found himself following Dedue with butterflies in his stomach.

“Where are we going?”

“Just a little further.”

Dedue smiled at Ashe’s impatience, which suggested that Dedue knew exactly how he was leading Ashe on. Ashe just wanted to get to this location already so the butterflies in his stomach could calm down because now that it was time, Dedue was going to “apologize” and Ashe was queasy just thinking about what the apology could be about.

Of course, because he was so wrapped up in his thoughts Ashe didn’t think that Dedue was going to lead him to a hidden clearing in the middle of a forest but where one could see the city from afar. When Dedue coughed and Ashe finally took a moment to look…

“Wow, it’s amazing! I’ve never heard of this place.” Ashe hadn’t really had the opportunity nor the incentive to wander outside of the city walls, but even so, from having all the guests at his inn over the past year, he never once heard this place as a spot on the tourist checklist.

“Well, it is a secret spot.” Dedue smiled. “For a reason.”

It took a moment for Ashe to comprehend but when he did, he was amazed that Dedue took him here. Not that Dimitri would go after Ashe for this but…

“Ashe.”

It was a light touch at first, but this time Ashe didn’t flinch or yelp or move at all when Dedue’s hands touched him, touched his hands and held them gently. Ashe didn’t know why Dedue was holding his hands but he wanted to focus on remembering this feeling instead of questioning the reasons why.

“I want to clear up a misunderstanding,” Dedue said quietly, his thumbs pressing into Ashe’s skin.

“Misunderstanding?” Ashe squeaked. How was he supposed to think, with Dedue saying that and at the same time, doing that…

“When…” Dedue cleared his throat. He began again in a louder voice. “When you tried to confess and struggled, apparently you took my response as a rejection of your feelings.”

Ashe felt the butterflies, which had calmed down when Dedue had taken his hands, revive from their rest and dance excitedly in his gut. “Well…”

Dedue pressed on. “I was just explaining the situation. I will always serve His Majesty first.”

Dedue paused for breath, and in this break, Ashe nodded. “I know,” he murmured reassuringly. He would never hold that against Dedue.

“But you…” And with this, Dedue squeezed Ashe’s hands. “Your place is my home too. I…” Ashe was being pulled closer to Dedue now. “I would not visit so often if I did not care for you.”

Ashe’s chest was now pressed against Dedue’s. He could feel Dedue’s rapid heartbeat. So, Dedue was nervous too. Ashe had to tilt his head back to look into Dedue’s green eyes. “Dedue…”

“I thought it was obvious. I figured we worked so well together that we did not need words to define our relationship. However…” Dedue’s voice cracked for a moment, and Ashe’s heart leapt to his throat. “Now I would like to hear your words, even if I might already know them.”

“Dedue…” There was pink on Dedue’s cheeks visible even on his dark skin. Ashe was sure his rosy cheeks were much more obvious, but it wasn’t because of embarrassment or shame. Now that they were finally on the same page, the flush was a sign of warmth from the happiness bursting inside him.

“I love you.”

The words were so easy to say now compared to two weeks ago. Ashe felt like he was floating; he could easily say them over and over again. But he sensed that Dedue wanted to respond.

“I love you too, Ashe.”

And before Ashe could close his eyes, his lips were met with Dedue’s own. Ashe closed his eyes and focused on the feel of Dedue’s mouth, Dedue’s fingers, Dedue’s heartbeat. At some point Dedue let go of Ashe’s hands, but the way Dedue wrapped his arms around Ashe to bring him even closer only allowed them to share more of their love with each other.

What else was there to say about this? Ashe was very, very in love with Dedue and very, very happy that Dedue loved him back.

******

“Matching rings, matching outfits… You two couldn’t look more married.”

It was a week from Dimitri’s birthday and the Blue Lions, well the initial class of 8 that had gone to Garreg Mach Academy as Blue Lions with Dimitri, had gathered in one of the small tea rooms of Fhirdiad Castle. All but Ashe and Dedue were sitting at the table chatting, and the only reason the two of them weren’t sitting was the fact that they were carrying 3 trays of food to be shared among the 8 of them.

“I’m really jealous,” Sylvain continued, “but I’m not sure if I’m more jealous of Ashe or Dedue.”

Ashe blushed. Surely he was the lucky one, having Dedue be by his side. Dedue looked a little pink in the face too, which was cute.

Ingrid, who was sitting to Sylvain’s left, kicked him under the table. “Sylvain!”

Sylvain was about to protest his treatment but Felix, to Sylvain’s right, grunted. “Enough talk. Let’s eat.”

The next few minutes were filled solely with the sounds of eating and drinking. Annette was the first to break the silence.

“Your cooking is the best! If I wasn’t so busy with the school, I would visit your inn for food every day!”

“Me too,” Mercedes added. She laughed. “Well, if I lived closer.”

“If I weren’t protecting His Majesty I would come by too,” Ingrid chimed in.

“Still a glutton as always,” Sylvain remarked.

“Says the man about to go for seconds already,” Felix commented, although to Ashe it looked like Felix was the one going for seconds before Sylvain was.

Either way everyone was smiling and enjoying the food, and that was more than enough to make Ashe happy. “Thanks everybody.”

“Ashe, Dedue.” Dimitri. “Thank you for the food.”

Dedue shook his head. “This was Ashe’s work. I only assisted as necessary.”

Ashe protested by setting his fork down with force. “It was necessary!”

Dimitri chuckled. “And everyone, thank you for being here.”

“Yeah!” Annette cheered. “We should get together more often. Say, what about once every 3 months?” she suggested.

Sylvain cocked his head. “It’s a bit of a trek for me…”

“Then why don’t you host next time?” Annette asked.

“It won’t be worth it,” Felix said.

“Hey!” Sylvain looked over at Felix. “Are you saying I can’t be a good host?”

“Your idea of ‘entertainment’ would be the first problem…”

As the ribbing between Felix and Sylvain became more intense, and with Ingrid joining eventually, Ashe turned away from the ruckus to look at Dedue.

“It’s really nice to see everyone smiling while eating our food,” he commented with a smile.

“It really is.” Dedue took Ashe’s right hand in his left. “How long should we wait before bringing out dessert?”

“Hmm…” It didn’t look like the discussion of the next meeting location was going to end anytime soon. Ashe didn’t care for it, since he’d go anywhere as long as Dedue was by his side. “Maybe we should go now. We can take our time returning.”

Dedue nodded. With only Dimitri taking notice, Ashe and Dedue slipped out of the room hand in hand. They would eventually return with small cakes and tea for dessert, but before that… Well, if they spent a little time sharing a different type of sweet in privacy, no one else needed to know the details.


End file.
